AAP is the Baap of all parties, says BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha

Patna, Jan 7: BJP leader and Patna Saheb MP Shatrughan Sinha on Monday described the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as the "baap" (father) of all political parties, including his own party, owing to its phenomenal rise in Delhi where it formed the government recently with the help of the Congress, a Times of India report said.

Sinha praised the AAP, saying other parties should learn from its rise from the grassroots. He said honesty and transparency must go together but that happens rarely.

While Sinha praised the AAP, Bihar BJP chief Mangal Pandey was critical of it

The actor-turned-politician even backed Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi over the latter's admission that the AAP led by Avind Kejriwal, now the chief minister of Delhi, has sent a strong warning to every other party to exhibit honesty, transparency and commitment, said the report.

Sinha appealed to both the national parties, the Congress and BJP to have a realistic assessment of the AAP and asked the BJP workers not to criticise the AAP on small issues like big or small bungalows, use of auto or cars and so on.

Sinha's views on the AAP were, however, in contrast to those expressed by Bihar BJP chief Mangal Pandey. According to the latter, the AAP phenomenon was limited to Delhi where social identities don't matter. Pandey said that the AAP lacked organisation and had no known leaders to be fielded as its candidates for voters ultimately endorse familiar faces. Pandey said the AAP would have little impact nationally, including Bihar.